Note: This version of section effective until 1-1-2025. See also following version of this section, effective 1-1-2025.

     Sec. 7. (a) The department may, for good cause, revoke a certificate issued under section 1 or 4 of this chapter. However, the department must give the certificate holder at least five (5) days notice before it revokes the certificate under this subsection. Good cause for revocation may include the following:

(1) Failure to:

(A) file a return required under this chapter or for any tax collected for the state in trust; or

(B) remit any tax collected for the state in trust.

(2) Being charged with a violation of any provision under IC 35.

(3) Being subject to a court order under IC 7.1-2-6-7, IC 32-30-6-8, IC 32-30-7, or IC 32-30-8.

(4) Being charged with a violation of IC 23-15-12.

(5) Operating as a retail merchant where the certificate issued under section 1 of this chapter could have been denied under section 1(e) of this chapter prior to its issuance.

The department may revoke a certificate before a criminal adjudication or without a criminal charge being filed. If the department gives notice of an intent to revoke based on an alleged violation of subdivision (2), the department shall hold a public hearing to determine whether good cause exists. If the department finds in a public hearing by a preponderance of the evidence that a person has committed a violation described in subdivision (2), the department shall proceed in accordance with subsection (i) (if the violation resulted in a criminal conviction) or subsection (j) (if the violation resulted in a judgment for an infraction).

     (b) The department shall revoke a certificate issued under section 1 or 4 of this chapter if, for a period of three (3) years, the certificate holder fails to:

(1) file the returns required by IC 6-2.5-6-1; or

(2) report the collection of any state gross retail or use tax on the returns filed under IC 6-2.5-6-1.

However, the department must give the certificate holder at least five (5) days notice before it revokes the certificate.

     (c) The department may, for good cause, revoke a certificate issued under section 1 of this chapter after at least five (5) days notice to the certificate holder if:

(1) the certificate holder is subject to an innkeeper’s tax under IC 6-9; and

(2) a board, bureau, or commission established under IC 6-9 files a written statement with the department.

     (d) The statement filed under subsection (c) must state that:

(1) information obtained by the board, bureau, or commission under IC 6-8.1-7-1 indicates that the certificate holder has not complied with IC 6-9; and

(2) the board, bureau, or commission has determined that significant harm will result to the county from the certificate holder’s failure to comply with IC 6-9.

     (e) The department shall revoke or suspend a certificate issued under section 1 of this chapter after at least five (5) days notice to the certificate holder if:

(1) the certificate holder owes taxes, penalties, fines, interest, or costs due under IC 6-1.1 that remain unpaid at least sixty (60) days after the due date under IC 6-1.1; and

(2) the treasurer of the county to which the taxes are due requests the department to revoke or suspend the certificate.

     (f) The department shall reinstate a certificate suspended under subsection (e) if the taxes and any penalties due under IC 6-1.1 are paid or the county treasurer requests the department to reinstate the certificate because an agreement for the payment of taxes and any penalties due under IC 6-1.1 has been reached to the satisfaction of the county treasurer.

     (g) The department shall revoke a certificate issued under section 1 of this chapter after at least five (5) days notice to the certificate holder if the department finds in a public hearing by a preponderance of the evidence that the certificate holder has violated IC 35-45-5-3, IC 35-45-5-3.5, or IC 35-45-5-4.

     (h) If a person makes a payment for the certificate under section 1 of this chapter with a check, credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer, and the department is unable to obtain payment of the check, credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer for its full face amount when the check, credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer is presented for payment through normal banking channels, the department shall notify the person by mail that the check, credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer was not honored and that the person has five (5) days after the notice is mailed to pay the fee in cash, by certified check, or other guaranteed payment. If the person fails to make the payment within the five (5) day period, the department shall revoke the certificate.

     (i) If the department finds in a public hearing by a preponderance of the evidence that a person has a conviction for an offense under IC 35-48-4 and the conviction involved the sale of or the offer to sell, in the normal course of business, a synthetic drug (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-321), a synthetic drug lookalike substance (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-321.5 (before its repeal on July 1, 2019)), a controlled substance analog (as defined in IC 35-48-1-9.3), or a substance represented to be a controlled substance (as described in IC 35-48-4-4.6) by a retail merchant in a place of business for which the retail merchant has been issued a registered retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter, the department:

(1) shall suspend the registered retail merchant certificate for the place of business for one (1) year; and

(2) may not issue another retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter for one (1) year to any person:

(A) that:

(i) applied for; or

(ii) made a retail transaction under;

the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1); or

(B) that:

(i) owned or co-owned, directly or indirectly; or

(ii) was an officer, a director, a manager, or a partner of;

the retail merchant that was issued the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1).

     (j) If the department finds in a public hearing by a preponderance of the evidence that a person has a judgment for a violation of IC 35-48-4-10.5 (before its repeal on July 1, 2019) as an infraction and the violation involved the sale of or the offer to sell, in the normal course of business, a synthetic drug or a synthetic drug lookalike substance by a retail merchant in a place of business for which the retail merchant has been issued a registered retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter, the department:

(1) may suspend the registered retail merchant certificate for the place of business for six (6) months; and

(2) may withhold issuance of another retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter for six (6) months to any person:

(A) that:

(i) applied for; or

(ii) made a retail transaction under;

the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1); or

(B) that:

(i) owned or co-owned, directly or indirectly; or

(ii) was an officer, a director, a manager, or a partner of;

the retail merchant that was issued the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1).

     (k) If the department finds in a public hearing by a preponderance of the evidence that a person has a conviction for a violation of IC 35-48-4-10(d)(3) and the conviction involved an offense committed by a retail merchant in a place of business for which the retail merchant has been issued a registered retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter, the department:

(1) shall suspend the registered retail merchant certificate for the place of business for one (1) year; and

(2) may not issue another retail merchant certificate under section 1 of this chapter for one (1) year to any person:

(A) that:

(i) applied for; or

(ii) made a retail transaction under;

the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1); or

(B) that:

(i) owned or co-owned, directly or indirectly; or

(ii) was an officer, a director, a manager, or a partner of;

the retail merchant that was issued the retail merchant certificate suspended under subdivision (1).

As added by Acts 1980, P.L.52, SEC.1. Amended by Acts 1982, P.L.50, SEC.3; P.L.65-1988, SEC.1; P.L.46-1991, SEC.7; P.L.88-1995, SEC.10; P.L.227-2007, SEC.58; P.L.172-2011, SEC.52; P.L.78-2012, SEC.2; P.L.13-2013, SEC.21; P.L.196-2013, SEC.2; P.L.242-2015, SEC.13; P.L.97-2017, SEC.1; P.L.153-2018, SEC.1; P.L.80-2019, SEC.2; P.L.234-2019, SEC.6; P.L.156-2020, SEC.21; P.L.194-2023, SEC.6.